New layer for Windows Installer removals is added which finds all associated folders and registry keys and removes them after main install is done. No more need for cleanup tools/scripts.

No more CMD shell executables.

All PowerShell cmdlets

CMD is replaced entirely by the PowerShell console

Every CMD tool is mapped into PowerShell cmdlets such that it requires NO additional keystrokes (e.g. ICACLS, NET xxx, REG xxx, etc.)

Sysinternals merged completely into the product

BGINFO is adapted into the UI shell with a cleaner result. Something like how the Windows 10 insider builds display version info above the systray now. It’s a feature that can be toggled via right-click applet, local or group policy or PowerShell.

A single, unified model for exporting and importing the UI components via PowerShell

(think Start Menu, Start Panel, Taskbar, Notification panel, Desktop)

Old GUI tools get a makeover

REGEDIT

Only Windows Installer and App-V installers are supported.

No more EXE installers.

Chocolatey is rolled into the Windows baseline

Everything good about VBScript is incorporated into PowerShell and VBScript is removed entirely.

Silly stuff like Trim, Mid, Round, and so on. (Note: YES, I know they’re possible in PS 5.0, but the implementation is still ugly)

A cleaner form engine is provided for PowerShell than leaning on COM InterOp.

Maybe borrowing some separation like the HTA model (XML, CSS, etc.)

No more “Active-“, “One-“, “Live-“, “Visual-“, just pick one prefix for the product lines as the standard.

255-character limit on CMD shell pipeline is gone.

WordPad is eliminated

Notepad is replaced with something like Notepad++

Paint is replaced by a more powerful graphics editor (it’s overdue)

Settings and Control Panel finally kiss and make up. They become one.

The Group Policy model is redesigned and cleaned up

ALL log files comply with a common, standard data format

ALL dialog forms follow a standard motif and behavior model

Windows Explorer tweaks

Hide File Extensions, is DISABLED by default

Expand to current folder, is the default

Disk Cleanup button, is moved to the Tools tab where it belongs

Edge is vaporized and replaced with IE12

Hyper-V

Gets a decent built-in (optional) NAT Router VM guest

The VM config paths are more customizable

The Start Menu can be moved to the bottom-right, or top-left or top-right corners